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Any women with high CAC scores?

Posted by anniehall56 @anniehall56, Feb 1, 2021

I'm new here. Passionate 64-year old Italian-American college journalism professor married to a gastroenterologist who thought I was in great health. Eat pasta, lots of vegetables, fruit, and little meat, never overweight, look young, feel young, but my dad and four of his brothers dropped dead of heart attacks in their 50s. I've always had elevated cholesterol and triglycerides with elevated glucose levels since my 30s, but high HDL. Not one doctor, including my husband, has thought much of it because "I'm a woman" and appear to be the epitome of health. Everything changed 10 weeks ago when I decided I should have some overdue bloodwork. Cholesterol was 280, LDL 170, triglycerides 272, A1C 6.5 and HS-CRP 10. Scared me to death and decided to have the Calcium cat scan, thinking it would be a zero. It came back at 256, with 255 in the LAD. I've had zero symptoms, dance aerobics 45 minutes a day, no shortness of breath. Had the nuclear stress test the week after which came out perfect. WHAT THE HECK? According to the MESA score, I am at the 92 percentile which puts me at high risk for heart attack and stroke, and according the MESA, my arterial age is 79?? Husband got me in to see one of the top researchers of CAC and CAC progression next week at UCLA where he practices but I'm in total disbelief. I don't take statins but may have to (which raises CAC score), taking an aspirin a day, went full strict no refined carbs - goodbye pasta and bread- and lost 15 pounds in 10 weeks which puts me at a weight I was in my 30s. Understand that you can't reverse CAC score but you can stop the progression. That's all I care about right now. Determined and interested in anything you have to say and anything that's worked for you - supplements, diet, vitamins. Have read all your posts (it's my new past time- misery loves company, right?) and have heard of Vitamin C, K, magnesium, fish oil, Co-Q10, niacin, aged garlic). Will post after my appointment next week and share what this doc says (he's written half the studies that come up on CAC, CAD, and CAC progression). As many of you post: I feel like a walking time bomb. Questioning if learning of the CAC score is a blessing or a curse. I went from a very happy person to a total wreck who is relieved to be teaching online for another semester because I don't want to have a heart attack or stroke in front of my students. Sigh.

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kallettla | @kallettla | Jul 1, 2025
In reply to @cnc51 "Hi J, I have hypertension that goes up and down and saw a cardiologist for this..." + (show)
Profile picture for cnc51 @cnc51

Hi J, I have hypertension that goes up and down and saw a cardiologist for this reason who couldn’t figure out why. So a CAC was ordered and I had no idea when he told the results that it was high. I was aghast as I am small, a vegan who eats very well most of the time (though an occasional cookies slips in). I am also a walker trying to add in strength training. My total cholesterol is 162, HDL 70, LDL 77, Trigly 38. I used to always get a star ⭐️ on my lipid profile so never knew I had an artery problem. Wonder why this test isn’t given to everyone before it’s too late?

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Do you have high LP (a)?

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klaudiaarnold | @klaudiaarnold | Jul 16, 2025
In reply to @vaniag "I have much higher CAC score, over 950. Had a NSTEMI over 5 years ago despite..." + (show)
Profile picture for vaniag @vaniag

I have much higher CAC score, over 950. Had a NSTEMI over 5 years ago despite a good diet and exercise. Genetics and stress ruled. Did your doc test for Lp(a)? Another risk factor separate from LDL. I am doing well on Repatha and Nexletol now. I even got on a clinical trial for high Lp(a). I think it is all helping.

Keep the faith!

Vania

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Hello, I have just come across your comment.
Did your doctor only want to lower the LDL level or also (or even mainly) the Lp(a) level? I would be very happy to hear your answer!

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vaniag | @vaniag | Jul 16, 2025
In reply to @klaudiaarnold "Hello, I have just come across your comment. Did your doctor only want to lower the..." + (show)
Profile picture for klaudiaarnold @klaudiaarnold

Hello, I have just come across your comment.
Did your doctor only want to lower the LDL level or also (or even mainly) the Lp(a) level? I would be very happy to hear your answer!

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Yes…LDL…what cardiologist doesn’t want you to lower your LDL…🤭🤭🤭? I joined a clinical trial for medication to lower Lp(a). I found the trial…no doctor recommended one. I really do not want another heart attack.

All the best, Vania

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swilkins1974 | @swilkins1974 | Jul 17, 2025

Your story is my story. I had 2 stents put in my LAD a year ago. My triglycerides are ok though. I take statins, (which I hate doing) I added K2. Vitamin D is important.
I also was in shock. Passed all the tests with flying colors until the calcium score test.
Good luck with your journey. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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ja963 | @ja963 | Jun 4 3:18pm
In reply to @anniehall56 "So here's the update. I saw Doctor Budoff who looked at my CAC score and did..." + (show)
Profile picture for anniehall56 @anniehall56

So here's the update. I saw Doctor Budoff who looked at my CAC score and did some math and told me that my density was good, which means, from the way explained it, that it took a long time to get to the state it's at - 255, all in LAD, so very calcified. He said he believed that the strict diet I'm on- low carb but not keto, eating fish and lean white chicken a couple times a week, no white stuff- pasta, breads, etc., just lots of greens, and exercising five times a week 45 minutes a day of aerobics plus some weights in between, would stop the progression. I hope he's right. I asked him about the poor outcomes in his studies and he said that most of these people go untreated, or keep doing these as usual- poor lifestyle, smoking, etc. He suggested a new drug, Nexlizet, which I haven't started taking yet.. I wanted to get all my bloodwork back first to see if I've been able to do anything without drugs.. He wants me to send him my bloodwork and then talk again which I will do by Monday. I repeated everything last Friday and got everything back this week and was pretty impressed. Will share below. Need to decide on the drugs, and still concerned about the LDL, APOB and LDL- not thrilled that the APOB went up. Teeter between the low carb vs. vegan diet. Anyone have any suggestions? Anyway, I guess the reversals below are pretty good - Just he HS-CRP and A-1C had me feeling positive, but still have to keep going to get them all where they need to be. Just wonder if the APOB and cholesterol are going to need some drugs to make them move considering my family history. Love hearing your thoughts. I still feel like a time bomb but Budoff didn't seem alarmed.
11/20/20/ 2/12/21
Total Cholesterol 280/ 228
HDL 63/ 58
Non-HDL 217/ 170
LDL 172/ 138
Triglycerides 272 / 188
Fasting Glucose 170/ 124
GGT 34/ N/A
HS-CRP 10/ 0.5
A1-C 6.6 / 5.7
ANA Positive/ Negative
TSH N/A/ 2.49
Fasting Insulin N/A/ 3
APOB 100/ 115
Homocysteine 13.1/ 13.6
LP-PLA2 N/A/ 109
APOE 2/3/ N/A
LPa Negative/ N/A

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@anniehall56 Hello, Not sure if you are following this website, but I have been reading Dr. Budoff's research and he seems like the go to doc for the calcium test. My "moderate" calcium was found on a Lung Scan, and would like to schedule a visit with Dr. Budoff.
A few questions if you don't mind:
1. Did he have you do a CTA?
2. How long did it take to get an appointment with him?

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